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Nov 5 2011

Ectopic Pregnancy – What Every Woman Needs To Know

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Ectopic pregnancies are far more common than people think. On average this condition affects one in a hundred pregnancies. Here we discuss the symptoms and the effects this condition has on women.

What Is An Ectopic Pregnancy?

Put simply an Ectopic Pregnancy is a pregnancy that develops outside of the womb, usually in one of the fallopian tubes, cervix or ovary. It usually happens when the fallopian tube is damaged or blocked and prevents the fertilised egg from reaching its correct destination and therefore it implants itself in the fallopian tube.

What Are The Symptoms Of An Ectopic Pregnancy?

Ectopic Pregnancies are usually discovered between the fourth and tenth week of pregnancy when the expectant mother will have experienced some of the following symptoms.

  • Pain when urinating or opening her bowels
  • Vaginal bleeding, which is darker and more watery than a normal period bleed
  • Diarrhoea, fainting, vomiting and general pain.
  • Persistent pain on one side of the abdomen
  • Pain in the shoulder

Can It Affect Any Expectant Mother?

Affecting one in a hundred pregnancies makes this condition a lot more common than most women realise. However there are certain factors, which could make a woman more at risk of an Ectopic Pregnancy.

Sep 16 2011

Treatment Of An Ectopic Pregnancy

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Treatment an ectopic pregnancy is different for every woman, depending on the size and location where the egg implants itself, and what type of pregnancy complications are involved.

Ectopic pregnancy is the leading cause of death amongst women in the first few months of their pregnancy period, so consult a doctor immediately, if you notice anything abnormal that may be symptomatic of an ectopic pregnancy.

The first stage in the treatment involves elimination of the dangerous non-viable intrauterine pregnancy, to minimize the risk for the mother. In this, the doctor always tries to protect future pregnancy prospects for the mother.

Complications include the reduced probability of further conception; however, this greatly depends on the extent of damage to the internal organs. Future pregnancies must only be planned after proper consultation with a doctor.

Treatment Options Include -

  • Non-invasive Chemical Method -

    • An early pregnancy that is ectopic in nature can at times be cured with a methotrexate injection that will dissolve the fertilized egg. This is advantageous for the mother, as it prevents scarring of the pelvic organs. Since ectopic pregnancies do not give rise to live births, look out for symptoms, so that an early treatment course can be undertake.

  • Surgery -

    • If the ectopic nature of your pregnancy is detected in the later stages, along with pregnancy complications, then surgery may be necessary. Nowadays, the less invasive laparoscopy surgery method is widely used in its treatment. If a woman's fallopian tube has ruptured, then before pregnancy complications develop, an emergency surgery through an abdominal incision (laparatomy) may become necessary. In very few cases, the doctor is able to repair the damaged fallopian tube, which gets removed in most instances.

    After the surgery, one needs close monitoring of her HCG (pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin) levels. If this level does not show a zero reading, then additional surgery may be required for any left out ectopic tissue.

    Your chance of a future pregnancy depends on the place where you had the egg implanted. If both your fallopian tubes are intact, then the probability of a successful future pregnancy is about 60%. However, if you have had one ectopic pregnancy, then the chance of a second also increases. So, doctors always advise to be aware of the symptoms, so that early treatment is done.

  • Expectant Management -

    • In a few cases, treatment of an ectopic pregnancy may be done through expectant management. This involves close observation and constant monitoring, and no treatment is given. Expectant management is undertaken in very few cases, where it is anticipated that the it will automatically resolve. However, until the condition completely normalizes, the risk of a rupture always remains.Treatment of ectopic pregnancy no doubt exists, but, why don't you try to prevent it and also cut down on certain risk factors. This can be done by avoiding multiple sexual partners, and also using a condom while intercourse. This will help avoid STD's and reduce the chances of PIDs (pelvic inflammatory diseases).

    Treatment Of An Ectopic Pregnancy

    Categories: Pregnancy Complications | No Comments »

    Jun 28 2010

    What is Ectopic Pregnancy and Why is it So Dangerous?

    by Charlotte

    There are many things that women find themselves worrying about when they learn that they are pregnant. It's true that there are many complications that can happen during pregnancy such as gestational diabetes or problems regulating blood pressure. However, early after finding out she is pregnant, one of the very first complications that can happen is that a woman finds out she actually is experiencing an ectopic pregnancy.

    The simple definition of an ectopic pregnancy is when the embryo implants itself outside of their uterus. The only place that's safe and healthy for an embryo to implant is on the uterine wall. Therefore, ectopic pregnancies are not viable and can present a danger to the mother. for example, internal bleeding is one complication that commonly happens if a woman does not terminate the ectopic pregnancy in time.

    Most ectopic pregnancies actually occur inside of the fallopian tube. this type of pregnancy is commonly called a tubal pregnancy. However, there are other areas that embryos have been known to implant such as the abdomen, cervix, and ovaries. An ectopic pregnancy is an emergency situation and must be treated quickly. It can be a fatal condition if a woman does not have it treated in time.

    If left untreated, about half of the ectopic pregnancies will actually resolve without any treatment whatsoever. However, it is too dangerous to believe that an ectopic pregnancy will treat itself. A woman should definitely seek medical counsel to find out whether or not she needs a particular medication that can reduce the chance that she would have to have surgery. some women end up losing one of their tubes if the embryo is implanted there and they have waited too long to seek medical assistance.

    An interesting thing to note is that although an ectopic pregnancy is normally not viable, there have been rare instances where live baby has been delivered as a result of an abdominal one. this typically means that the placenta sat on the abdominal organs and was able to somehow get a good blood supply. However, this puts a great as risk on the mother's life because the placenta has commonly attached to her internal organs and can cause major hemorrhage and bleeding after the baby is removed.

    Categories: Pregnancy Complications | No Comments »

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